FRIDAY, FEB. 23 through SUNDAY, FEB. 25: This looks like a windy weekend. No rain, high temperatures 55 to 60, but windy, mostly out of the west and southwest. Friday looks like a blowout, 20 to 25 mph from the southwest over the area. That's on the ground - higher winds up at our launches. On Saturday, a little milder, about 15 to 18 on the ground over the area. In Alamogordo, El Paso and Las Cruces, mostly northwest. In Deming, westerly, and maybe a bit lighter. On Sunday the winds get lighter, about 10 to 15 mph, and mostly west. Recommendations: On Friday, don't bother. Take a walk, work on equipment, put gas in the car. On Saturday, La Luz looks like a good bet for hang gliding. The northwest launch there should be ridge soarable. The Little Floridas look good, too, but get there early - they have a tendency to blow out easily. On Sunday we have various options. Dry Canyon, La Luz, Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch should all be pretty good bets. It might be strong for PG's in the afternoon. The Little Floridas are possible, too, but again, be there early. Maybe Kilbourne Hole will work for PG's, too. I'm afraid that I'll be unavailable again, this weekend, but I'd love to hear how everyone else does at it. Be safe, and have fun.-Robin

FRIDAY, MARCH 2 through SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2018:This weekend looks like a fairly predictable one, very typical for March in our part of the world. It should be clear and warm over most of our area this weekend, with high temperatures about 70 F or more. Slightly cooler on Sunday. No rain. Winds? Friday's should be south, 5 to 10 mph over most of our area, and southwest 5-10 in Alamogordo. Saturday, southwest winds, 10 to 15 mph, and 15 to 20 in Deming. On Sunday we get a blowout, starting about noon, with winds 20+ mph out of the southwest. Something interesting is that we could have north/northeast winds on Monday morning in the Las Cruces area, making our "local" site (Volcanic Peak) a possible player. For this weekend, I would recommend Dry Canyon and La Luz on Friday. Magdalena Rim might work as well. On Saturday you have your choice of sites: Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Agave Hill, Nelson's Launch, Kilbourne Hole. The Little Floridas, too, if you're there early. On Sunday I think that Magdalena Rim might work early in the day, but it will be blown out well before noon. Be somewhere sheltered by then - a bowling alley, maybe. On Monday, if the winds follow the forecast, be at Volcanic Peak, ready to launch, at 10 or 11 am. By noon, the winds are supposed to die off to nothing. (Quite a contrast to Sunday!) So, it looks good from here, Wednesday evening, and for a change I should be in town and ready to fly. Give me a call if you get the urge for airtime. And with the spring winds coming, right on schedule, choose your battles carefully. Be safe.-Robin575-541-5744

FRIDAY, MARCH 9 through SUNDAY, MARCH 11: This weekend's forecast is fairly consistent throughout the area. Friday and Saturday should be pretty warm - 75 degrees F or more. Mostly sunny. Sunday gets a lot cooler, around 60 degrees. It's cloudy on Sunday, too, maybe even a bit of rain. Winds matter most, though. In Alamogordo, we should see light west/southwest on Friday, moderate north/northwest on Saturday, and light south/southwest on Sunday. For Las Cruces, El Paso and Deming, it looks like strong west winds (20+ mph) on Friday and Saturday, then east winds about 10 on Sunday. It looks to me, then, that our best bet for airtime may be La Luz on Saturday and Dry Canyon on Sunday (if it's not raining). Also, perhaps Anapra or Torrey Paso on Sunday. A loop of the jetstream will be overhead for most of the weekend, so a lot of the forecast is dependent upon how much it mixes down to us. Be careful and fly safely.-Robin

FRIDAY, MARCH 16 through SUNDAY, MARCH 18: This weekend looks a little more predictable than some we've had recently. Very little chance of precipitation. High temperatures about 70 degrees Friday and Saturday, 60 degrees on Sunday. Winds from the west and southwest all weekend. It's the strength that makes it tough, this time around. Friday should be good all over - speeds about 10 to 12 mph on the ground throughout our area. Saturday the ground winds go up to 20, and by Sunday, 30+. If you go out on Saturday or Sunday, be there early! Otherwise, just bag it for the day. On Friday Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Little Floridas, Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch should all be working. On Saturday, the same - but probably too strong, starting about 11:00 am or noon. On Sunday, it's probably a blowout from the get-go. Would Kilbourne Hole be possible on Saturday or Sunday? At least it's lower in elevation. I am planning on launching Dry Canyon about 11:30 or noon on Friday - I should be in the Cox Field LZ about 9:30 or so that day, if anyone wants a ride up to the launch. Be safe this weekend!-Robin575-541-5744 home575-386-8212 cell

FRIDAY, MARCH 23 through SUNDAY, MARCH 25: "Warm and windy" pretty much describes this weekend, with the winds coming from the southwest continuously. All of our southwest facing sites should work, but only if you are launching early. And landing well before noon, for that matter. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are all much the same story. Dry Canyon, Magdalena Rim, Little Floridas, Agave Hill and Nelson's launch are possible launch sites. Kilbourne Hole, too. But be ready to fly by 10:00 am. Afternoons will be blown out for sure. The temperatures will be in the 70's this weekend, but expect a cooling trend throughout next week. Is this March in the Great Southwest? Oh, yes... If you fly, keep a good eye on the wind speed, and think about safety - in the air, and when you land.-Robin

FRIDAY, MARCH 30 through SUNDAY, APRIL 1 (Easter):This looks like a decent weekend for flying. It looks pretty dry. Our recent cool temperatures are going to get warmer, with high's in the high 70's and low 80's F. Winds will be west and southwest all weekend. Wind speeds will be nicer than a week ago, with top speeds of about 15 mph. I would say that our southwest facing sites should all be flyable this weekend; if you're flying a paraglider, go early in the day, or late. A hang glider should be good the rest of the time. Sites that should work, then, are Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Little Floridas, Agave Hill, Nelson's Launch, and even Kilbourne Hole. I hope to fly at Dry Canyon on Saturday afternoon (I'll be taking my Astronomy 105 class to the Space Hall that morning). Let me know if you want to try it that day!-Robin 575-541-5744

FRIDAY, APRIL 6 through SUNDAY, APRIL 8:Well, it's spring. Last weekend was pretty good, but this weekend will be more seasonal. Warm to hot (highs in the 80's) and no chance of rain in the foreseeable future. Winds are going to be strong. Saturday could be more moderate than Friday and Sunday, but basically they'll be coming in strong from the southwest all weekend. Alamogordo may be a bit lighter. On Friday you could try La Luz and Dry Canyon. Be there early! Las Cruces, Deming and El Paso all look like blowouts. Saturday looks better. Deming (Little Floridas) will be blown out, but Magdalena Rim, Agave Hill, Nelson's Launch, Dry Canyon and La Luz may all be flyable, if you launch in the morning. On Sunday, everything in the area looks to be blown out. A good day for a good book, or to take a look at your equipment - in the garage, of course. Doors closed. On Monday the winds shift to the north and northwest, light, which is a typical pattern for our area. Volcanic Peak might be flyable that day if it's not too light. I might be available for some flying on Saturday if we can find a driver. Be safe, if you go out to try it, and remember my aphorism: "If there's any question about launching - you already answered the question." -Robin575-541-5744

FRIDAY, APRIL 13 through SUNDAY, APRIL 15:Yes, Friday thte 13th is an unlucky day for flying. Completely blown out from the southwest. The rest of the weekend gets better. No rain - all the storms are passing north of us, this year. Temperatures will drop from the 80-deg F level down to the 60's on Friday, then climb through Saturday and Sunday back to 80 degrees. After Friday the winds get much lighter. On Saturday, mostly north; I'd say that La Luz and Volcanic Peak are worth checking out. By Sunday they get more southerly. Too much east, I think, for Mag Rim near Las Cruces, but Dry Canyon and La Luz could be flyable. I'm not sure of my own schedule this weekend, but Saturday I might be up for a flight. Enjoy it if you go!-Robin

FRIDAY, APRIL 20 through SUNDAY, APRIL 22:Weather is interesting this weekend. Temperatures will be warm, and precipitation chances mostly zero. (Slight chance of rain Thursday night and Friday morning.) Friday winds look like a blowout from the west/southwest. Saturday, following the usual pattern, expect mild winds from the north/northwest. On Sunday, winds are mostly mild southeast, but Alamogordo may see mild southwest. In light of this circumstance, I would say that the chances of flying are zero on Friday. On Saturday, La Luz might be good, especially for hang gliders. And on Sunday both La Luz and Dry Canyon look like good possibilities. Towing at the Sod Farms should be pretty good both Saturday and Sunday. Be safe if you go, and enjoy the good times while they're here.-Robin